Dead or Alive 6 vs. SoulCalibur VI

2 acclaimed fighting series each received long-awaited sequels recently so let's enter the ring and see which one emerges victorious.

Looks like Jann Lee's abdominal workout regimen hasn't paid off

Gameplay

I've been a huge fan of both series since Dead or Alive and Soul Blade debuted on PS1. Shortly after becoming acquainted with the franchises, SoulCalibur became my first Dreamcast game and DOA2: Hardcore was my first PS2 game. So, how do these latest installments stack up? Both Dead or Alive 6 and SoulCalibur VI feature very familiar gameplay with minimal complications to their classic formulas. Dead or Alive 6 now has a Break Gauge that allows for some impressive attacks while SoulCalibur VI features a new Reversal Edge system that's equally cool. However, I've always preferred the fast-paced intimate fighting in Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 6 does not disappoint. Reversing your opponent's attacks then smashing them into walls within the interactive stages is just awesome. SoulCalibur VI is certainly a ton of fun but it's simply not as visceral as Dead or Alive 6 which, in my opinion, deserves to win this category.

Characters

I must admit, both Dead or Alive 6 and SoulCalibur VI disappointed me with their character rosters. Dead or Alive 6 has newcomers NiCO and Diego who definitely stand out from the crowd with their unique fighting styles and SoulCalibur VI includes Geralt from The Witcher, Azwel, and Grøh yet none of those characters really clicked with me. Based on new characters, Dead or Alive 6 wins this category but SoulCalibur VI also features a somewhat elaborate character creation component. Because of that, this is a very close call but in the end, I think SoulCalibur VI deserves to win due to the fact that you can make some very cool custom characters. By the way, both of these games feature day one DLC characters that you have to pay for which is just silly. I hope they don't do that in the next sequels.

You know what these character select screens could use? More characters!

Stages

One aspect that I love about fighting games is their collection of stages. Again, both Dead or Alive 6 and SoulCalibur VI disappoint as they don't feature many: Dead or Alive 6 only has 14 and SoulCalibur VI has a measly 11. That being said, the stages in Dead or Alive 6 completely blow the ones in SoulCalibur VI out of the water. SoulCalibur VI's stages are rather generic and bland and don't feature any substantial interactive elements aside from booting your foe off the edge. Meanwhile, Dead or Alive 6's arenas are quite elaborate and many are multi-tiered thus allowing you to explore different locations within the same stage. The interactive elements that allow you to smash your opponent into traps such as a giant octopus that's attacking a ship are awesome so Dead or Alive 6 definitely wins here.

Modes

Finally, Dead or Alive 6 and SoulCalibur VI feature a similar array of modes. Dead or Alive 6 is much more focused on training as it has a wealth of rewarding modes that teach you the ins and outs of its combat. On the other hand, SoulCalibur VI has a nifty Libra of Soul adventure mode where you battle through a succession of missions as your very own created character. Both games have nearly identical story modes where you select nodes on a grid to play through events that pertain to the cast of characters and each game can be played online and in various arcade-style modes as well. Although I thoroughly enjoyed trying to master all of the missions in Dead or Alive 6's DOA Quest, SoulCalibur VI wins this category for its immersive and long-lasting Libra of Soul mode.

Mitsurugi and Talim clash blades in yet another epic battle

Well, that was certainly a lengthy and grueling fight but it's time to announce the winner which is...

WinnerDead or Alive 6

SoulCalibur VI is a fantastic game complete with solid fighting and a very cool character customization component with its corresponding Libra of Soul mode. However, the core gameplay of Dead or Alive 6 is more enjoyable to me because of its fast pace, awesome reversals, and new Break Gauge system that all come together to make every match exciting. Plus, its incredible interactive stages are great fun to battle within. Here's hoping we see more of them down the road, though.